How to apply for an SSL security certificate? Detailed steps and precautions to share

at the moment when HTTPS has become the standard of website security, SSL security certificate is the core tool to realize the encrypted transmission of website data and improve user trust. Although many novice webmasters or enterprise operation and maintenance personnel know its importance, they are confused about the specific operation process and worry that the application fails or the certificate cannot take effect normally due to step errors. This article will dismantle the whole link of SSL security certificate application in an all-round way from the preliminary preparation, operation process, verification points to follow-up maintenance, and provide landing operation guidelines and pit avoidance skills for website managers of different sizes.

What should I do before applying for an SSL security certificate?

formally start the SSL security certificate application, adequate preparation can greatly improve the efficiency of the application, to avoid incomplete information or selection errors caused by the process card.

1, determine the certificate type and adaptation scenarios

the current mainstream SSL security certificate is divided into three categories: domain name type, enterprise type and enhanced type. Different types of verification requirements and application scenarios are obviously different. Domain name certificate only verifies the ownership of the domain name, the application speed is fast, and it is suitable for personal blogs and small information websites; enterprise certificate needs to verify the main information of the enterprise, which can improve the credibility of the enterprise website. It is suitable for e-commerce platforms and enterprise official websites; enhanced certificate will carry out strict identity audit and display the enterprise name. It is suitable for websites with extremely high security level requirements in finance and payment. Choose the appropriate certificate type according to the website type, business scale and security needs.

2, prepare the domain name and verification data

SSL security certificate application is to have a legal and normal resolution of the domain name, if the application for the enterprise, but also need to prepare the enterprise business license, organization code certificate and other main qualification documents, some certificate types also need to provide proof of domain ownership, such as domain name registrar management background screenshots, DNS resolution record certificate. Organize these materials in advance, can save a lot of time in the verification process.

Second, the specific operation process of SSL security certificate application?

after completing the preliminary preparation, you can enter the practical operation of SSL security certificate application, the process of different certificate authorities is slightly different, but the core steps are basically the same.

1, choose a formal certificate authority

prefer to choose formal platforms certified by international trust root institutions, such as Symantec, GeoTrust, Let's Encrypt, etc. Let's Encrypt provides free domain name certificates, suitable for personal webmaster testing or small websites; Commercial certificates provide more complete technical support and longer valid period. Be careful to avoid choosing unqualified small platforms, so as not to be trusted by mainstream browsers and lose the meaning of encryption protection.

2, submit the application and fill in the information

enter the official platform of the selected institution, find the SSL security certificate application entrance, fill in the domain name information, applicant contact information, enterprise main information, etc. Some platforms also need to generate and submit the certificate signature request file. The signature request file contains public key and domain name information, which can be generated through the server control panel or special tools. When generating, it is necessary to ensure that the key length meets the security standards. At present, it is recommended to use keys with more than 2048 bits.

3. Key points of the verification process of SSL security certificate application?

verification is the core link of SSL security certificate application. Only through verification will the certificate authority issue the certificate. Different types of certificates have different verification methods.

1 Domain Name Ownership Verification

this is all SSL security certificate application needs to complete the basic verification, the common verification method has three kinds: one is the file verification, the specific file needs to be uploaded to the root directory of the website provided by the authority, the agency will confirm the ownership of the domain name by accessing the file; the second is DNS verification, add the specified TXT record in the DNS resolution record of the domain name, the agency completes the verification by querying the resolution record; the third is mail verification, the agency will send the verification email to the domain name registration mailbox and administrator mailbox, click the link in the email to complete the verification, you can choose the verification method according to your own convenience of operation.

2, enterprise principal authentication

enterprise-type and enhanced SSL security certificate applications need to complete additional enterprise subject verification, usually requiring a scanned copy of the enterprise business license, organization code certificate, and some institutions will also contact the enterprise contact by phone for verification. It is necessary to ensure that the submitted information is clear and accurate. If the information does not match the enterprise's industrial and commercial registration information, it will lead to verification failure and need to resubmit the information for review.

4. Configuration and maintenance after SSL security certificate application?

successfully obtain the SSL security certificate, the server configuration and subsequent maintenance need to be completed to ensure that the certificate continues to function.

1, server certificate installation and configuration

upload the downloaded certificate file to the website server and complete the configuration according to the server type. For example, the Apache server needs to modify the htpd.conf or ssl.conf file, and the Nginx server needs to modify the nginx.conf file. Pay attention to the correctness of the certificate file path, port settings and other parameters during the configuration process. After the configuration is completed, restart the server and access the website through the browser. Check whether the lock icon is displayed in the address bar to confirm whether HTTPS is in effect normally.

2, certificate expiration reminder and update maintenance

SSL security certificate has a fixed valid period, the free certificate valid period is usually 3 months, and the commercial certificate is mostly 1 to 2 years. You need to set an expiration reminder in advance to avoid the website not being able to access normally due to the expiration of the certificate. Before the certificate expires, you need to resubmit the SSL security certificate application. Some institutions support automatic renewal, which can be turned on in advance. If the enterprise information or domain name information has not changed during the renewal, the verification process will be relatively simplified.

To sum up, SSL security certificate application is a complete process from preparation to maintenance. In the early stage, the certificate type needs to be selected, the information should be prepared, and the regular institution should be selected and the information should be filled in accurately when applying. The verification link needs to complete the corresponding review according to the certificate type. Follow-up server configuration and expiration maintenance. As long as you follow these steps and points, you can successfully complete the SSL security certificate application, build a reliable encryption protection barrier for the website, and improve user trust and website security.